5 Simple Ways to Survive Working From Home

As somebody who has been working from home for several years, I can vouch for its awesomeness.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years telecommuting in my sweatpants, it’s this: working from home is not as straightforward as it sounds.

The hurdles that you avoid by leaving off ‘traditional’ jobs are substituted with new obstacles. Distractions from around your home call out, an unhealthy diet beckons, and procrastination lurks constantly over your head – with no boss around to keep you in check.

To help you avoid those temptations and stay on top of your game, here are five tips to help you survive working from home.

1. Set A Regular Alarm

I know, being able to wake up when you want is one of the greatest benefits of working from home. But you can maintain that freedom without sacrificing the quality of your sleep (and thus, the quality of your wakefulness).

Experts have said that by keeping your sleeping schedule regular, you’re likely to achieve more REM sleep cycles – which are the most important part of sleep.

So, feel free to wake up whenever you want, but try to make it the same time each day.

2. Exercise

Let’s be honest, working from home could easily be the first step towards an unhealthy lifestyle. However, it could just as easily be the first step towards a healthier lifestyle.

You could use your freedom to laze around more than ever, or you could utilize it to attend daily gym sessions, walk through the local park, or

Not only will the regular exercise bring you health benefits, but it will also improve your productivity when you return home to work.

3. Manage Snacking

Snacking is tempting at the best of times, but how about when your office is just a ten second walk to your kitchen?

Trust me, the struggle is real.

To avoid an expanding waistline and a desk full of candy wrappers, stick to a regular meal times that are made of all the right stuff. Complex carbohydrates and proteins are ideal.

You may sometimes feel the urge to ‘compensate’ for working at home by working extra hard for extra long. But that’s a mindset that leads to burnout, followed by days of rampant procrastination.

Instead, set yourself regular breaks throughout the day to enjoy the benefits of working from home. There’s nothing wrong with meeting a friend for a late afternoon coffee, and it’s okay to set some time aside for Netflix, too.

Sure, it’s all about moderation, but that also includes being moderate in how your work.

5. Mix Up Your Working Environment

Freedom is the best part about working on your own terms. But if you stubbornly work from the same spot every single day, who are you kidding?

Whilst you’re at home, switch between different rooms and working set ups to keep your mind fresh. When that all starts getting a little stale (which it will), mix it all up by working at the library or the local coffee shop.

Not only will mixing things up help inject some more professional freedom into your life – which is refreshing in and of itself – but it will also help you to be more social, stay productive, and avoid the entrepreneurship blues.

Many office workers envy those who get to work from home. Because working from home really just means you can work from anywhere, and in any way you like.

It’s a set of perks that not many people get to enjoy, so after you implement the five tips outlined above, don’t forget to simply enjoy it all.